New Releases Are Diverse: From Hoots To Highbrow

Classical Remarks

February 12, 1989|By RAYMOND JONES Staff Writer

For those who equate classical music with a bunch of violinists in powdered wigs, check out the latest new releases. From God and the devil to Richard Nixon and Weird Al Yankovich, the latest recordings cover a wide spectrum of subjects.

Hearing music in the vast grandeur of Notre Dame in Paris is one of the greatmusical experiences of a lifetime. The next best thing to being there is a new release from Harmonia Mundi USA on the French FY label,"Les Offices du Dimanche a Notre-Dame de Paris" (FYCD019). Le Maitrise de Notre-Dame and the Cathedral Choir join forces with organist Pierre Cochereau in recordings made some years ago. They still sound magnificent.

The devil gets his due in Stravinsky's "The Soldier's Table." A recording of the new critical edition of this delightful ballet-tableau for narrators, dancers and orchestra comes by way of Pangea Records (PAN-6233 in LP form, also available on CD). Featured are rock star Sting as a credible Soldier, Vanessa Redgrave in the more extensive part of the Devil, and the role of the narrator done by Ian McKellen.

Kent Nagano leads those 20th-century specialists, the London Sinfonietta, in a brilliant performance. More Stravinsky comes by way of a CBS reissue of the complete "Firebird" coupled with "Scherzo a la Russe," "Scherzo Fantastique" and "Fireworks," all conducted with authority by the composer (MK 42432).

Sting isn't the only pop star showing up today. Weird Al Yankovich has adapted the text of Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" to his own zany style and Wendy Carlos gives Prokofiev the electronic treatment in a release that is bizarre and yet fun.

Without spoiling the surprise, let me warn you that everything from "Bob the Janitor" on accordian to Hitchcock's "Psycho" gets thrown in the merry madness. As a filler, Wendy Carlos adds some new animals to the "Carnival of the Animals," such as amoebas, iguanas, vultures and poodles. What a hoot, so to speak (MK 44567).

The opera "Nixon in China" by John Adams has been staged to great critical acclaim. Highlights from the work are available on a Nonesuch LP (79193) with Sanford Sylvan as Chou En-lai, James Maddalena as Nixon, Carolanne Page as Pat Nixon and Thomas Hammons as Henry Kissinger. Welcome extracts from an exceptional new work.

Bernard Haitink is apparently starting a new Mahler cycle with the Berlin Philharmonic for Philips. Installment one is the Symphony No. 1 in D, captured in great sound on cassette (420 936-4). This is a smashing performance - not as unabashedly wild as Paita's on Lodia - but laced with plenty of fire and muscle.

Also from Philips comes a cassette of music for two pianos (420 157-4). Its good to hear the great Sviatoslav Richter back before the mikes. He's joined by Vassili Lobanov for an intellectually stimulating choice of works: Britten's "Introduction and Rondo alla Burlesca" and his "Mazurka elegiaca," Stravinsky's "Concerto for 2 Pianos" and Bartok's "Sonata for 2 Pianos and Percussion." These performances are taken from Richter's 1985 French concert tour and are superb.

From Nimbus comes the awaited completion of the Mendelssohn string symphonieswith the English String Orchestra under William Boughton. I've already given volume three a glowing review, and volumes one (NI 5141) and two (NI 5142) are equally fine. These two CDs hold symphonies 1-8 and 10. Thanks to Nimbus for putting the first complete set of these works on CD. This set should command the field for a long time.

More Mendelssohn from Nimbus finds the Medici and Alberni Quartets combining for the Octet in E-flat (NI 5140). The Medici Quartet is also featured in another Nimbus CD containing extraordinary music by Smetana (NI 5131). The composer of "The Moldau" wrote great chamber music as well. His Quartet No. 1 ("From My Life") is fairly well known. Lesser known but equally formidable is his Quartet No. 2 in D minor, depicting his Beethovenian struggle against oncoming deafness. The Medicis play with fierce concentration and the sound is gripping.